Yep, he's another one of those seriously underrated guitarists. I followed him from the Cats all the way through the amazing big band, which I'll admit I was a little sceptical of at first, but all the credit in the world for trying something new! I was so in lust of that 6120 Gretsch and Bigsby...until I tried one or 5, sadly Gretsch's just aren't my cup o' tea. I think I wind up over thinking when I play them if that makes any sense. But dang, they look cool!

Yep, he's another one of those seriously underrated guitarists. I followed him from the Cats all the way through the amazing big band, which I'll admit I was a little sceptical of at first, but all the credit in the world for trying something new! I was so in lust of that 6120 Gretsch and Bigsby...until I tried one or 5, sadly Gretsch's just aren't my cup o' tea. I think I wind up over thinking when I play them if that makes any sense. But dang, they look cool!

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He is a hell of a player. .. The Gretch reminds me of a run thth PRS did in 2010 or 20112. Can't remremer the modelm, but it was a large semi hollow body with a Bigsby. BeauBeaut but intimidating lol

For me it’s never been about the technicals but about the music, and technicality is more a means to achieve the music, and realise what the mind can conjure. The better the skill, the more flexibility you have to bring to reality whatever the mind can conjure.

So I have to name Slash and Neal Schon, because each of their solos and riffs are a song in themselves. It’s like a song within a song.

It helps take the song in a new direction and keep it interesting for its duration.

I always enjoy these lists to see not only the players chosen individually, but the group of players that a certain guy chooses. In some big forms (TGP) you’ll see one guy name 5 shredders and one guy name 5 blues players, and one guys chooses several from several styles, etc.

I find it interesting that in this forum, we’re getting a lot of guys with significant diversity in just 5 players, and some even choosing 5 from different styles or types of music. I have enough trouble choosing 10, but can do that with minor changes from time to time. But 5... I can’t do it. If the thread stayed active I’d be adding one and subtracting another every few months.

So after all the BS introduction, here’s todays top 5:
Jimi Hendrix
Alan Holdsworth
(These two NEVER leave the list)
John Petrucci
Eddie Van Halen
Robin Trower

Next week, Yngwie and Jeff Beck will be on there. And probably DiMeola. Depends on who comes up on the playlist in the car.

I can't tell you how happy I am to see Tommy Bolin's name on a list of favorite guitarists! I've been a Bolin fan for a long time, but sadly he's almost a forgotten man except to those of us that...um, have a few miles on the clock! Tommy could play it all, from jazz to hard rock, it's just unfortunate that he stayed at the party a little too long.

Getting down to 5 was extremely hard, but here it is, in no particular order and subject to change daily depending on who I'm listening to:
Randy Rhoads
SRV
Brian Setzer
Freddie King
Peter Frampton

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How about it....Bolin was such a monster player, imo. I wish more people were into him.

How about it....Bolin was such a monster player, imo. I wish more people were into him.

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Apologies to the OP, but I'm gonna go semi off topic here since we're both Bolin fans: What your 5 favorite Bolin songs?

Mine in no particular order and confined to his 2 solo albums:
Savannah Woman- that little opening lick is just killer
Wild Dogs
Gypsy Soul
People People
Alexis-okay so I cheated and threw in a song from his James Gang days. It's a great song though!

If you're noticing that Post Toastee is missing, it's for a reason. The local rock station where I grew up, played Post all of the time! Seriously. It was pretty much the only Bolin song they ever played, so while it's a great song from Tommy, it's not a top 5 favorite.

Apologies to the OP, but I'm gonna go semi off topic here since we're both Bolin fans: What your 5 favorite Bolin songs?

Mine in no particular order and confined to his 2 solo albums:
Savannah Woman- that little opening lick is just killer
Wild Dogs
Gypsy Soul
People People
Alexis-okay so I cheated and threw in a song from his James Gang days. It's a great song though!

If you're noticing that Post Toastee is missing, it's for a reason. The local rock station where I grew up, played Post all of the time! Seriously. It was pretty much the only Bolin song they ever played, so while it's a great song from Tommy, it's not a top 5 favorite.

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I get the Post Toastee part. It's the song I've heard the most too. Great tune, but I'm with you. And, it's ok to cheat with James Gang, because I'm going there as well, along with Zephyr and Deep Purple!

I’m new here and enjoyed checking out people’s lists. I have about 20-30 who could probably be in a top 5 on any given day. But the people who’ve blown my mind (musically, not technically) for a looooong time and never fallen off the list would have to be:

Jimi - first and forever
Keef
BB
Garcia
Richard Thompson

Other’s who could be in the list on any given day if I’d been listening to them lately:

Scofield
Duane
Joe Pass
Django
Robert Johnson - I don’t listen to him that often, but where would we be without him?
Carlos
Knopfler
Rory - both Gallagher and Block
Bonnie
Joni Mitchell - incredible rhythm work
Tom Verlaine - phrases I couldn’t imagine in a zillion years.
Jorma - acoustic
Peter Green
Billy Gibbons
Charlie Hunter
Weir - but only in the context of the Dead, harmonically bridging between Jerry and Phil like a mad alchemist - never heard him in any other context where I though much of him at all...

I’m not into speed, shredding, anything more technically impressive than musically expressive. A LOT of technically amazing guitarists leave me totally cold. BB could say more with one note than anyone else could say with 1000. That’s what I strive for. I’m far from there, but I guess I’d have to say I can say more with 4-5 than I can say with 20. I’m not good enough to compare myself with anyone other than myself but I’m getting better at playing really spare stuff and my rhythm playing, too neglected for too long, is getting better every day...